Spending Christmas in Saigon, Vietnam

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Thu Nov 17 23:37:24 PST 2016

Christmas is nearly a month away, and can be trully a magical time in Vietnam (minus the snow). If you decided to spend our favorite holiday in the South of Vietnam, make sure to check out our video on what Xmas is really like like...

The Best Lunch Foods in Ho Chi Minh City

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Wed Dec 02 23:24:03 PST 2015

What to eat for Lunch in Ho Chi Minh City a.k.a Saigon? Entering the world of Vietnamese food can be a daunting task for a beginner out there on their own. What is it? Where is it? Is it the best? These are the questions...

A Tavern for lamb

by Charles Snowdon @ The 10 latest reviews on HCMC.COM

Wed Sep 17 03:19:11 PDT 2014

A Sunday roast is a tradition in the UK & as it had been so long since I had partaken in such a great ritual, I decided to seek out the best for a Sunday roast. The suggestion that kept coming forth was The Tavern in district 7.

As usual, Sunday arrived & off we went to The Tavern for the anticipated roast dinner sensation. On arrival I was informed that today’s roast was lamb for 245,000đ. Without hesitation, my order was placed & my friend ordered the all-day breakfast.

After about 20 minutes 2 large plates crammed with steaming grub arrived at our table. My roast was more than substantial & smelt like a Sunday at home in the UK. The plate was covered with lamb, roast & mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables & a Yorkshire pudding. Mint sauce & gravy were the side-kicks for this dish of splendour.

Not to be out done, the breakfast was also vast with eggs, beans, sausages, hash browns, mushrooms, bacon, toast & butter. At a price of 155,000đ, this is without a shadow of doubt the best I have set eyes on in Asia.

Taste wise, the roast was exactly as it should be with everything properly cooked & served at just the right temperature, a truly pleasing roast that would not be out of place in London’s finest pubs. My only gripe is that the Yorkshire pudding was a rather heavy consistency, this has to be due to the available ingredients in Vietnam. The breakfast was faultless, I sampled some & can vouch for my friends testimonial.

So 4 well earned stars for The Tavern, highly recommended & I shall return in the not too distant future.

Appropriately Unspectacular

by Joe Buckley @ The 10 latest reviews on HCMC.COM

Mon Oct 06 19:29:07 PDT 2014

Tân Định market is a large market selling a vast array of different things, as you’d expect from any market. The outside of the place is lined with food stalls, selling an impressive variety of dishes, so it’s easy to combine a trip here with lunch.

Although the market is a great place to go if you’re in the area or live locally, there’s nothing particularly exciting or exotic about the place – although it is housed in an unusual building with a unique façade – so you do not need add it to your must visit list, or make any special effort to go there.

The really interesting thing about Tân Định market, though, is its history. In the late 19th century, the market (then known as Phú Hòa Market) was one of the most important markets in Northern Saigon. The current building, however, was constructed by the French colonial government in the 1920s – partly to improve hygiene, and partly to increase the state’s revenue. And it is in this unusual building that the market is still housed today (minus the roof, which has been replaced).

So, the market is worth finding out about for general interest, but, despite being a great local place, if you don’t ever find yourself in the area, you’re not actually missing much.

Top 5 Children Activities in Saigon, Vietnam!

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Thu Sep 08 00:25:46 PDT 2016

We’re quite proud to say that we had our tours customers aged from 1 to 95 years old, and they all enjoyed it! Though parents are often quite scared to let their children on a motorbike in busy Saigon, we believe that is also a...

Zoom With A View

by Charles Snowdon @ The 10 latest reviews on HCMC.COM

Tue Oct 07 19:45:36 PDT 2014

Zoom has been a haunt of mine for years & has been the venue for many reunions. I have a personal fondness for the place but shall remain impartial for the sake of a beneficial review.

Set on a busy corner near Bùi Viện, Zoom does suffer from road noise & a fairly steady flow of hawkers which can at times become testing. However, the well selected music which is played at an appropriate volume does well to counteract the traffic din. In addition the staff here are always friendly & seem to be very content in their roles as Zoom staff.

When eating here, I usually go for a burger as they are consistently good & from 115,000đ with a free beer, the price is certainly competitive. The menu is broad with everything from Mexican to all day breakfasts. I have never been disappointed with the servings here & am yet to meet anybody that has been.

It is also worth noting that there is a happy hour from 7pm to 10pm when Huda or Saigon Green beers are a mere 10,000đ. After 10pm further offers are available. The owner of Zoom also conducts Vespa tours which has proved to be very popular with tourists visiting Saigon. The appreciation for Vespa is further proven by nostalgic Vespa items adorning the walls.

Zoom gets 4 stars, really I cannot fault any aspect here, it’s a shame that there is no longer outdoor seating but that is something that is certainly beyond the bars control. I recommended a visit for an evening drink or meal whilst enjoying decent music and watching the, at times, frenzied traffic.

The Best Boutique Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Mon Sep 19 22:49:04 PDT 2016

While it is quite easy for anyone to look up on TripAdvisor or Agoda for the best hotels in Saigon (and get some great deals), we have decided this time to search some accommodations here that stands out (to us) for their decor and style....

Hotel Review: Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

by Bucket List Traveler @ TravelUpdate

Wed Jan 24 05:30:09 PST 2018

The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is a 412 room luxury hotel located in the heart of Golden Triangle next to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, major shopping malls, and entertainment district. Tripadvisor.com ranks this hotel as #3 in Kuala Lumpur and I can see why.

No Vietnam Visa Required For Citizens Of Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain

by Chris Mitchell @ Travel Happy

Fri Jun 19 04:49:09 PDT 2015

From July 2015, you don’t need to apply for a visa to enter Vietnam if you’re a citizen from Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain Vietnam Embassy, Bangkok The Vietnamese government have announced a important change for Vietnam tourist visas – if you’re from Britain, Germany, France, Italy or Spain, you no longer need to […]

The best breakfasts in Ho Chi Minh City

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Fri Sep 16 02:38:50 PDT 2016

If you’re like us and got the Vietnamese habit of waking up with the sun and a cup of cà phê sữa đá, you probably have already your favorite Phở or Bánh Mì joint that will help you start the day in ease. For most...

Hotel Review: Park Hyatt Zanzibar

by Bucket List Traveler @ TravelUpdate

Fri Jan 26 05:30:21 PST 2018

The Park Hyatt Zanzibar is a 67 room luxury hotel located in the historic Stone Town beachfront on Zanzibar Island in Tanzania. Enjoying the stunning views of the Indian Ocean at this luxury hotel is the perfect last stop at the end of a long safari tour of East Africa.

No Indonesia Visa Required For Citizens Of 45 Countries

by Chris Mitchell @ Travel Happy

Tue Jul 28 06:56:17 PDT 2015

The Indonesian Government recently announced citizens of forty five countries no longer need a tourist visa to enter Indonesia. Indonesia Immigration Stamp How Does Visa Free Entry To Indonesia Work? If you are a citizen of one of the countries listed below, arrive at one of the entry points below and proceed to Passport Control. […]

Top 5 Seafood dishes to try in Vietnam

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Mon Sep 12 01:07:48 PDT 2016

We always recommend travelers in Vietnam to definitely try what the locals call “ốc”, which literally means “snails”, though its meaning is actually going out and enjoying seafood, including crabs, shrimps, oyster and yes, snails. However these ốc restaurants usually have only a 5 to 10...

The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City

by fred wilson @ Back of the Bike Tours

Sat Sep 03 21:29:17 PDT 2016

If you are following us on our YouTube Channel (and you should!) you probably would have watched all of our top 5 already. Our goal as always is to provide travelers with the best spots, according to us, for various Vietnamese street food or activities here...

Book Review + Giveaway: Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?

by Mimi McFadden @ The Atlas Heart

Tue Nov 14 10:28:11 PST 2017

*EDIT* We have a winner!! CONGRATS to Toni! You’ll be receiving your book in the mail within a couple of weeks. It has been so long since I’ve hosted a giveaway on this blog, but when I got an email in my inbox about an artsy new coffee table book about LA and Paris, I […]

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